Atmosphere

A hip-hop group from Minneapolis, Atmosphere centers around rapper Slug (aka Sean Daley). The son of a black father and a white mother who divorced when he was a teenager, Slug became entranced with hip-hop, graffiti, and breakdancing, and formed the Rhymesayers collective (originally known as Headshots) with two high-school friends -- Siddiq Ali (Stress) and Derek Turner (Spawn). After some early gigs as Urban Atmosphere, where Slug DJ'ed behind Spawn's rhyming, the pair hooked up with producer Ant (Anthony Davis) as well as like-minded locals such as MC Musab, Mr. Gene Poole, and the Abstract Pack, forming an underground hip-hop clique dedicated to freestyling, clever and complex lyrics, and anti-gangsta positivity. In 1997, Atmosphere released their debut album, Overcast!, which quickly became regarded as an underground hip-hop classic thanks to Slug's deeply personal, poetic musings, as well as Ant's bare-bones -- but inventive -- production.

Following Atmosphere's involvement with supergroup the Dynospectrum (who released a self-titled album on Rhymesayers in 1998) and Slug's participation in another supergroup, Anticon's Deep Puddle Dynamics (whose full-length The Taste of Rain...Why Kneel appeared in 1999), the next Atmosphere album was a 1999 cassette called Headshots: Se7en. The group also began a series of limited releases (often sold exclusively on tour) titled Sad Clown Bad Dub, beginning with an extremely scarce 1999 cassette. A year later, Atmosphere (now down to the duo of Slug and Ant) released the Ford One and Ford Two EPs, followed by the Lucy EP in 2001. Collected as the 2001 full-length Lucy Ford: The Atmosphere EPs, the three EPs were built around the theme of Slug's complicated relationship with his ex-girlfriend, the lost love of his life. As Atmosphere's following increased beyond underground hip-hop circles, they toured consistently, both at home and overseas; while Ant usually didn't accompany the group on the road, Mr. Dibbs of the group 1200 Hobos often joined in behind the turntables while Slug was assisted on the mike by young rappers like the teenaged Eyedea. In June 2002, Atmosphere unleashed God Loves Ugly, an 18-track effort that returned to previous themes ("F*@k You Lucy"), but also contained the group's most pop-friendly single to date, "Modern Man's Hustle."

By this time indie rap superstars, Atmosphere returned with their fourth album, Seven's Travels, in 2003, followed two years later by You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having. Following the album's success, Ant began regularly touring with the group. They continued to put music out during the next couple of years, including the free download Strictly Leakage in late 2007, a near-party album that they followed up with When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That S**t Gold in April 2008. The record featured plenty of live instrumentation and guest background vocal spots from Tom Waits and TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe; it was also their highest-charting album, hitting number five on the Billboard 200. The "double EP" To All My Friends: Blood Makes the Blade Holy appeared in 2010, with the full-length album The Family Sign following in 2011. In 2014 the group released the album Southsiders, which featured the single "Bitter." The following year, Atmosphere celebrated the ten-year anniversary of You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having by reissuing the album as a four-LP set (including instrumental versions of all the album's songs), in addition to The Fun EP, a picture-disc vinyl issue of an EP of You Can't Imagine outtakes that was originally released as a promo CD in 2006. In 2016 they returned with Fishing Blues, an album that featured the single "Ringo" along with guest appearances from MF Doom, Kool Keith, and Aesop Rock. ~ Dan LeRoy

"You Can't Imagine... .." album is what made me be more put on to y'all Ant and Slug ... and made me get to be on some Murs s**t and affiliated crew. Not to mention the serious humble cool ppl around my way here in Tri States NYCTNJ who are the biggest album supporters of everything put out and with lablemated. ..much Peace and keep live with the beats and rhyme.

Biggest fan right here in SacTown, CALI. We have LOVE here, in all shapes, sizes, colors, and genders. You Philosopher Kings are my heroes. I am so grateful and humbled by your help in guiding me through some wild a** times! Sober in love with life and getting my flow tight!! Ya know, the most awesome music can save souls. Isn't life amazing, fellow wordsmithers. You both earned that honorable badgre, best compliment I could possibly give my musical mentors and life coaches. You reached me and t

This young local man needs our help. His family is suffering not only from the horrific accident but from the product of a small population. I love Sioux fall and surrounding area, and I know there are plenty of helpful and caring individuals that need to be informed of this struggle. We are the most helpful nation in the world. But still less than 3k has been donated. Anywhere else those funds would be reaching 150k. I'm not one with an excess of money but I do have time to spare to help this m

Lucy ford isn't about an ex. Slug has said in many interviews Lucy ford (think about it LUCY-FORD) represents his addictions and said Lucy ford can be Any of our own demons we struggle with. That's how deep His music really is.

Besides my YouTube and That this song made my dad happy again he was mad over work so I showed him this song and he really likes it thank you so much atmosphere I really appreciate it it also taught my family a lesson I forgot which one they told me

I have been listening to Atmosphere since 1999 which is the year my first son was born. Almost 17 years later I find out that my son also loves atmosphere and he found the greatness on his own. I Love that my son knows what good music really is.